http://www.windaction.org/ facts, analysis, exposure of wind energy's real impacts en-us Windaction hourly 1 http://backend.userland.com/rss http://www.windaction.org/articles/38305 Tue, 07 May 2013 12:13:11 GMT Savage said the recent purchases by Northern Pass are contiguous to the anticipated route the company is trying to build, but do not address its fundamental problems of crossing the Connecticut River along Route 3 at the Canadian border, or clearing a narrow passage through conservation land in Stewartstown near the Connecticut Lakes Headwaters. http://www.windaction.org/articles/38305 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37563 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:12:13 GMT Public Service of New Hampshire is interested in municipally owned land near the town's industrial park, prompting Northern Pass opponents to speculate that the company may be changing direction and planning to bring power lines down the Vermont side of the Connecticut River, crossing into New Hampshire at Littleton. http://www.windaction.org/articles/37563 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37480 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 17:16:16 GMT "I am very concerned we have a long term energy strategy but like all of us in New Hampshire, I also love the outdoors that is so important to the quality of life. I think the first proposal didn't take that into consideration and could have harmed our travel and tourism economy." http://www.windaction.org/articles/37480 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37371 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:04:20 GMT "Recently we have seen a number of proposals for new energy facilities, specifically wind farms and transmission lines, that will have an important and lasting impact on our state," Arnold said. Arnold said the Legislature should act quickly on a bill giving the SEC a broad range of authority in considering proposed facilities. http://www.windaction.org/articles/37371 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37260 Sat, 02 Feb 2013 14:04:08 GMT The operators of the New England grid are restricting the amount of electricity being accepted from the three operating wind projects in the Northeast Kingdom and the North Country of New Hampshire. And there's no indication that the restrictions, called curtailments, will end anytime soon. http://www.windaction.org/articles/37260 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37214 Wed, 30 Jan 2013 02:19:55 GMT The problem is the electricity network gets out of synch if the turbines produce more power than is being used at any one time. So ISO issues an order to ramp back power. It's called curtailment. "We are seeing those interconnect issues with other wind projects. As we've seen the Dixville project in New Hampshire was curtailed about 50 percent," Hallquist said. http://www.windaction.org/articles/37214 http://www.windaction.org/articles/36908 Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:38:51 GMT Top executives from Northeast Utilities repeatedly promised a full route announcement by the end of the year. They failed to deliver. This not only hurts their credibility in the markets but calls into question whether Northern Pass has a viable route at all." http://www.windaction.org/articles/36908 http://www.windaction.org/articles/35240 Wed, 13 Jun 2012 22:14:22 GMT A rival energy group to Northern Pass said yesterday that its new study shows the hydropower project is no longer economically viable because natural gas is increasingly becoming a cheaper alternative. http://www.windaction.org/articles/35240 http://www.windaction.org/articles/34535 Sun, 11 Mar 2012 03:21:22 GMT Northern Pass, a $1.1 billion collaboration between Hydro-Quebec and Northeast Utilities, would deliver hydropower to the New England energy grid via a 180-mile transmission line through New Hampshire. From Groveton south, the line would run along existing rights of way owned by Public Service of New Hampshire. http://www.windaction.org/articles/34535 http://www.windaction.org/articles/34203 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:53:06 GMT The House-passed bill was borne from opponents' fear that eminent domain would be used to take private land for Northern Pass. The project proposes to build 180 miles of power lines through the center of New Hampshire, including 40 miles through the scenic North Country. http://www.windaction.org/articles/34203 http://www.windaction.org/articles/34165 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:31:32 GMT A federal order issued last fall is intended to make it easier to construct transmission lines, costly and controversial projects that are notoriously tough to build. http://www.windaction.org/articles/34165 http://www.windaction.org/articles/34003 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:23:53 GMT Tapping into a "deep feeling" in northern New Hampshire that the Northern Pass project would mar the region's beauty and undermine its tourism industry, Newt Gingrich said he would withhold his support unless the power lines go underground. http://www.windaction.org/articles/34003 http://www.windaction.org/articles/33484 Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:06:31 GMT Northern Pass, a different entity than PSNH, cannot simply assume ownership of those easements, Savage said. He pointed to a legal opinion the forest society recently requested on the state's eminent domain law. The opinion, written by attorneys with the Ransmier and Spellman law firm in Concord, concludes that Northern Pass cannot use the power of eminent domain. http://www.windaction.org/articles/33484 http://www.windaction.org/articles/33283 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:11:16 GMT The plans by Hartford-based Northeast Utilities to string a $1.1 billion transmission line through New Hampshire to bring in low-cost power from Canada is on hold until all sides can agree on an acceptable route. http://www.windaction.org/articles/33283 http://www.windaction.org/articles/32308 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:13:40 GMT Sonny Martin of Lancaster is among those who want guarantees on the height of towers, calling the project's height ranges too vague. He lifted an orange balloon to an estimated 135 feet on Sunday as a visual cue to make a point. http://www.windaction.org/articles/32308 http://www.windaction.org/articles/31705 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:29:34 GMT A proposal for 20 turbines on Lowell Mountain has stirred controversy in the Northeast Kingdom. But there's another piece of the project that hasn't received as much attention. Utilities want to build a new, 15-mile power line to get the wind power out to the grid. http://www.windaction.org/articles/31705 http://www.windaction.org/articles/31700 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:05:09 GMT But displeased residents and environmental advocacy groups say that most of the opposition for the project wasn't borne of "not in my backyard" sentiment along alternative routes to begin with, so asking the department to stop consideration of those routes won't go very far in reducing the antagonism toward the project. http://www.windaction.org/articles/31700 http://www.windaction.org/articles/31603 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:02:48 GMT Martin Murray, spokesperson for Public Service Co. of New Hampshire says public opinion is solidly against the venture. The challenge is to determine "how we can achieve a new and significant source of renewable energy at an economic price and do it with as little impact on our north country as possible." http://www.windaction.org/articles/31603 http://www.windaction.org/articles/31022 Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:57:06 GMT The proposed towers would carry transmission lines starting from Canada along a 140-mile route from northern to central New Hampshire. They would be part of the Northern Pass Project, which would bring hydroelectric power to customers in New England. ...If the project can't be stopped, why not bury the lines underground? "It eliminates the problem of the horrible ugliness of those massive towers," she said. http://www.windaction.org/articles/31022 http://www.windaction.org/articles/30671 Fri, 31 Dec 2010 16:17:59 GMT Hydro Quebec, NStar and Northeast Utilities are working on the Northern Pass project with the Patrick administration's support. Project organizers say the new line could provide another 1,200 megawatts of hydro electricity, enough to power nearly a million houses. The project is still in early engineering and study phases, with the goal of wrapping up in 2015, the Northern Pass website says. http://www.windaction.org/articles/30671